Just say om Does priming a meditation-like schema reduce the attentional blink?

Previous research has shown that consciously adopting a meditative-like mindset (such as meditation training) improves the allocation of selective attention. Overt behavior and cognitive processes can also be shaped or "primed" through unconscious exposure to contextual cues in the environment. The present study examined the hypothesis that priming a meditative-like schema would improve temporal selective attention. Fifty-three students engaged in a word search puzzle intended to prime either a passive, active, or neutral attentional state, after which they completed a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task as a measure of attentional efficiency. The data did not support our hypothesis: priming different attentional states did not significantly impact subsequent attentional performance. Possible explanations for these results are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research. In sum, although meditation and conscious induction are beneficial methods for improving temporal selective attention, it is unclear whether transient priming has similar benefits.